Cheap Hamper Materials Ideas

buzzyzoe

Hi all,

Couldn't think where to put this thread so apologies if it's in the wrong place!

I'm planning on making some homemade food hampers for Christmas and have got ideas for bits to go in them, but it seems that the expensive bits are the extras - jars and bottles to put the things I make in, and the hampers themselves.

Has anyone got any tips for the best places to find these things? I have bought jam jars from Hobbycraft and Amazon before but was wondering if anyone had any cheaper sources. I was thinking of maybe using boxes from Ikea as the actual 'hamper' as they're so much cheaper, but not sure if they might look a bit odd:
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/small-storage-organisers/storage-boxes-baskets/tjena-box-with-lid-light-blue-art-10323778/

I was also planning on having a look around charity shops, but I'm in London so these don't tend to be that cheap either.

If anyone has any top tips I would love to hear them!

MrsTinks

There are several thread on the special occasions board I think but here's my suggestions:
jars - ask local facebook groups - pick ones with no writing on and then just buy lids from ebay, hobbycraft or lakeland
Baskets or boxes - Keep an eye in Wilkos or £ shops - think creatively and remember you can often disguise a cheap box with something as simple as brown paper and then line it with things like packaging peanuts etc

Bottles... constant source of annoyance for me - either I give people a liter of liqueur or I spend £5 per bottle to fill - ARGH - it's cheaper to buy a mason jar and tie a ribbon round it and name your tipple something like "Moonshine Inc's Infamous Skittles Vodka Liqueur" - use the slightly weird packaging option to your advantage

It's also fairly easy to make your own small paper boxes for things like fudge and brownies - I have tried a few and the easiest is a paper plate with 4 slightly off cuts and a ribbon... I can look up a photo for you if you need or just pinterest it

MrsTinks

Oh - baby jars btw are insanely cute for "shots" of liqueur so if anyone you know have babies - you might need to disguise the lids or see if you can get small ones online

oldhaggis

Last year I bought some reduced baskets at Dunelm Mills at the end of the summer. I sometimes find them at charity shops but I have on occasions seen them priced at more than brand new ones! Your Ikea box seems a good deal.

Poundland do a lovely pack of jam pot covers with matching labels. I got some last year. They look very posh and are in the style of Cath Kidston.

For home made jams I use second hand octagonal shaped jam pots and lids which I save throughout the year. I sterilise them in the oven before use. Once the jam has cooled down I cover the use by date on the lid with multi-coloured sticky backed dots arranged in the shape of a flower.

At this time of year I look out for special offers on high quality deli food items such as fancy chutneys, extra virgin olive oils, balsamic vinegars etc which have long use by dates. All the main supermarkets do them and often stock the same brands as the posh delicatessens.

I add cheap Christmas tree decorations to my hampers. These can be found at Tiger, Poundland, Home Bargains etc

Also if any of the items in a hamper look odd because of their colour then I wrap these random items in festive tissue paper.

maman

Buying those hessian/jute bags for life as the actual hamper is useful as they can be re-used and most of them have a base so they stand up unlike many totes.

CRANKY40

Photocopy paper boxes make excellent hampers and usually have lids. Once wrapped in christmas paper they're fine. If you work in an office or know someone who does they may be willing to provide a few.

buzzyzoe

Thanks so much to everyone for your very helpful replies! Lots of good tips

MrsTinks wrote: »

It's also fairly easy to make your own small paper boxes for things like fudge and brownies - I have tried a few and the easiest is a paper plate with 4 slightly off cuts and a ribbon... I can look up a photo for you if you need or just pinterest it

If you do have a photo to hand I would love to see! :beer:

candlelight_2013

I have just bought 2 baskets from Asda, they have stripes around and little handles each end. They were £2 each and I put little birthday presents in for DD and my DSister, covered the presents in tissue paper, and of course they can use the baskets afterwards. They were a good size not small.

On one occasion I gave small hampers in a collander and also a plastic mixing bowl, which you can pick up from Ikea and then wrapped cellophane around them, Looked different and also useful.and I usually put a couple of baubles in or some little chocolate snowmen or santas.

I always have fun making hampers and everyone I have given one to has been genuinely pleased with it, I think people are pleased you have taken time to think what they might like.

Have fun

Candlelightx

Larumbelle

Poundland has some bottle crates in at the moment that would look fab for mini hampers. They're on page 51 of their Christmas brochure: http://www.poundland.co.uk/great-ideas/browse-our-christmas-2016-collection/

I have wrapped shoeboxes and I second Cranky40 - photocopy boxes are great, just the right size and very sturdy for heavier items too. Places like Staples will usually have as many as you want.

So far as jars go, I just 'put the word out' among friends and get as many as I need. Ikea is about the cheapest I have seen for jars and those bottles with flip-out stoppers, but if you have to travel far to get there (I am lucky, Ikea is within walking distance for me) Wilkinsons will work out cheaper. Tiger is also good for small spice-sized jars if you have one nearby.

If you have a Morrison's nearby I saw milkbottle-style jars in mine this morning for 50p each, they would look lovely for all sorts of things, including small servings of tipples!

Anne_Marie_2

I got some storage boxes similar to these from one of the pound shops a while back.
http://g03.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1w79DKpXXXXazXXXXq6xXFXXXa/2-pieces-button-pattern-storage-box-clothing-decorations-multicolor-receive-case-non-woven-fabric-material-folding.jpg

jackyann

I just recycle any jars that I have. I have a few large boxes that I use to put in any jar, box, pretty bag, oddment of something that might be useful (bits of ribbon appear over and over again)
If they get overfull, I either cull them, or put some bits on freecycle.

Anyway, if starting from scratch, the charity shops are great. Not sure what you are wanting to put in the jars - if jams or chutneys, then you can buy waxed paper circles and cellophane tops cheaply, then cut a scrap of fabric to cover (if you don't have scraps of fabric, look in the charity shop for anything you can cut up). As you are using the waxed paper/cellophane, it doesn't have to be jars - you can use glasses, or even little cups, charity shops often have stuff like that.

If sweets / biscuits, look for cellophane bags - Lakeland do some terrific ones, but of course you pay for delivery unless you're near a shop (or do a big order). But a lot of 'homeware' stores do plain bags and you can tie with pretty ribbon and a xmas label of some kind.

I once got some very cheap plastic storage containers - about 10p each and filled them with goodies, tied up with ribbon.

If you don't have much to begin with, try googling cheap ribbon - you can sometimes pick up bundles on ebay.